English Premier League - Weekend Review Jan 13th

Arsenal stumbled with a 1-1 draw to Birmingham City allowed Manchest United to move to the top of table in the English Permier League with a resounding 6-0 thumping of free-falling Newcastle.  Meanwhile, all the new signings for Derby County could not avoid another defeat as they fell to Wigan.

Sunderland 2  Portsmouth 0
Two goals from Kieran Richardson boosted Sunderland's Barclays Premier League survival hopes. Portsmouth enjoyed the better of the early stages but fell behind in the 33rd minute to Richardson's first goal. He produced a cool finish after fine battling work from Kenwyne Jones, who kept the ball in play before cutting it back into the England midfielder's path. The lead was doubled just before the break with another excellent finish from Richardson, who raced into the box and fired a shot beyond David James.

Arsenal 1  Birmingham City 1
Arsenal failed to cash in on an Emmanuel Adebayor penalty as they were held to a 1-1 draw against Birmingham City at the Emirates Stadium.Arsenal dominated the early stages but could find no way past the Blues until Stephen Kelly was adjudged by referee Phil Dowd to have fouled Eduardo in the box in the 21st minute - and Adebayor slotted in the resulting spot-kick.  The Gunners could not hold their lead, though, Garry O'Connor's header from a corner levelling the match only three minutes after the break.

Chelsea 2  Tottenham 0
Juliano Belletti provided Chelsea with the impetus they needed at home to Tottenham Hotspur - with an outstanding strike after 19 minutes as the third-placed Blues won 2-0. Avram Grant's men made sure when the in-form Shaun Wright-Phillips scored a second goal in the 80th minute.

Liverpool 1  Middlesbrough 1
Liverpool dropped two more costly points at the Riverside Stadium, where a scrappy 26th-minute goal from George Boateng gave Middlesbrough a 1-0 lead. Stewart Downing then hit the post for the hosts in the second half, but the Reds rescued a draw when Fernando Torres' right-footed drive from 25 yards flew into the top corner 19 minutes from time.

West Ham 2  Fulham 1
Simon Davies got struggling Fulham off to a flying start in pursuit of an elusive away win, with a goal direct from a free-kick to put the Cottagers 1-0 up at West Ham United after just eight minutes. But Roy Hodgson's team could not see the job through, Dean Ashton equalising shortly before the half-hour and Anton Ferdinand giving the Hammers the points in the 69th minute.

Everton 1  Manchester City 0
Manchester City are another team who have found it relatively tough away from home for much of this season - and sure enough they lost 1-0 at Everton. The winner came from the predictable source of a Mikel Arteta corner, Joleon Lescott hitting the target with a 31st-minute header on the end of the Spanish winger's delivery as Everton finished the day level on points with Liverpool.

Aston Villa 3  Reading 1
Aston Villa were indebted to John Carew, who struck in the 22nd minute to set them on their way to a 3-1 victory at home to Reading - and then made sure with his second goal in the 88th. Martin Laursen doubled the lead soon afterwards with a 55th-minute header from a corner, and James Harper's 90th-minute strike for the visitors was mere consolation.

Wigan 1  Derby County 0
New-look Derby County had an opportunity to vindicate some of Paul Jewell's transfer-window signings. But none of the bottom club's players managed to get on the scoresheet in a 1-0 defeat at home to their new manager's old club Wigan Athletic.  The Rams were reduced to 10 men when Claude Davis was sent off midway through the second half for a second bookable offence - and Antoine Sibierski administered the telling blow with the winner eight minutes from time.

Manchester United 6  Newcastle 0
Manchester United beat manager-less Newcastle United 6-0 at Old Trafford to move top of the Barclays Premier League. Cristiano Ronaldo grabbed a hat-trick, Carlos Tevez scored a brace and Rio Ferdinand got a goal at the end in the convincing victory.